


— Social Lite 
at the 

| Fitebourg State Normal 
White School 
oS aaaty 
arg OF THE 

YO UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS,” 





























To become one of a group of about three 
hundred students and teachers, all animated 
by a common purpose, and representing 
nearly one hundred towns and cities, in it- 
self alone means a broader social opportunity 
than most high school graduates enjoy. To 
win the respect and esteem of all the mem- 
bers of the group and to obtain a .worthy 
place among them in one’s own estimation, 
as well as in that of others, allows full play 
for the character and personality of every in- 
dividual, for such an attainment depends not 
upon scholarship alone. 

From the opening of school in September 
until the closing exercises in June, in addition 
to the constant daily social contact, there are 
at regular and frequent intervals more or less 
formal events. Of these the three receptions 
are the most formal events. In order these 
are: - 


Receptions and Dance 

RECEPTION TO THE JuNIORS. ‘This recep- 
tion is given by the seniors and the faculty 
and comes shortly after the opening of school 
in September. 
SENIOR RECEPTION AND Dance. © This re- 
ception is given by the seniors of all courses 
to their young gentlemen friends and comes 
in the winter. 





Class Mascot — Class Day. 


RECEPTION TO GRADUATES. ‘This recep- 
tion is given by the faculty and juniors to the 
graduating classes, their parents and friends, 
and comes at the end of the school year. 


A 


Commencement Exercises 

COMMENCEMENT WEEK IN JUNE is al- 
ways a season of many social activities. 
‘These begin on Saturday with the Ivy Ex- 
ERCISES Of the advanced class andthe TREE 
Exercisss of theseniors. “The marching of 
different classes on the campus, the display 
of the school and ciass colors, the class mas- 
cots, the decorating of trees planted by pre- 
vious classes, the Maypole dances, rolling of 
hoops, and other traditional forms give great 
pleasure to the students and their friends, 
and are imposing and extremely beautiful. 
Each class seeks to add some novel feature 
and to outdo its predecessors. Last June at 
the close of the Ivy exercises, the advanced 
class gave a Japanese play. This vear A 
Midsummer Night’s Dream will be given. 

On Sunday before graduation is held the 
annual “‘sing out’? when students and teach- 
ers with their friends meet in the Assembly 
Hall to sing together for the last time the 
songs they have enjoyed during their normal 
school life, and to listen to a short address 
prepared for the occasion. | 





Dutch Dance — Class Day. 
5 





Court of Ferdinand and Isabella. 
Columbus Day Pageant. 


The graduation exercises include musical 
selections, the reading of a few of the theses 
(on the preparation of which each pupil 
spends considerable time during her senior 
year ), and an address by some noted edu- 
cational leader. 

The formal graduation exercises Welncs 
day are followed by the public reception to 
the graduates already mentioned, on Thurs- 
day evening, and by the Alumni reunion and 
banquet on Friday evening. 





Rolling Hoops — Class Day. 
6 


School Parties 


Of a less formal nature and therefore per- 
haps more thoroughly enjoyed are the ‘“par- 
ties’’ in connection with certain annual dates. 
‘These parties are planned and directed by the 
different classes and by different groups se- 
lected by the faculty committee on social af- 
fairs. T*hey are in order: - 

Harvest party 
Halloween party 
Valentine party 
April First party 
May party ; 





Receiving Line — Mothers’ Afternoon. 


For the Harvest party, the seniors pick the 
sweet corn planted in their school gardens 
the previous spring and hold a corn roast to 
which the other students and the members 
of the faculty are invited. ‘The roasting of 
corn, apples, and marshmallows on the 
school. grounds on a_ moonlight evening 
proves a very enjoyable and informal wel- 
come to the new students. 

7 





Pandora — Scene from a Play. | 


The Halloween party with its witches, 
bobbing apples, elusive doughnuts and inter- 
esting mysteries is always | a great delight. 
The unusually occult and “‘scary’’ one a few 
years ago, which closed witha genuine 
earthquake will always be remembered by all 
who were fortunate enough to be invited. 

The Valentine, April First and May parties 
are to some even more interesting than the 
party held on October 31 st. 





Dutch Songs — Class Day. 
bs 


The receptions give to the students op- 
portunity to practice the etiquette of social 
affairs. [These parties add to their experi- 
ence in events of a less formal character. 





Landing of Columbus — Columbus Day Pageant. 


A Mock Athletic Meet was added to the 


parties this year and proved adecided success. 





Cotton Pickers — Scene fom Pageant — Lincoln Day. 


9 





May Pole Dance — Class Day. 


Miller Wall Parties 


Should you enter Miller Hall you would: 
feel at once the homelike atmosphere that~ 
prevails there. “che spacious parlors are 
used to great advantage. Here the girls assem- 
ble after the last meal of the day to sing and 
enjoy each others company. Here also the in- — 
itiations take place, but these through the 
kind heartedness of the seniors, have a de- 
lightful ending, in the form of a spread. 
The open fireplace looks inviting on a cold 
winter night, and the girls show their appre- 
ciation by lingering to toast marshmallows 
and to tell s stories. 


1U 





**What Restains Me’’ from Lucia by Donizetti. 
Tableau illustrating Victrola Recital. 


The suites, arranged as they are, give the 
girls an opportunity to use their living room 
for more than a place of study; and these 
rooms are the scenes of many a jolly good 
time. The girl with the mandolin adds to 
the pleasure of these gatherings. 

~The welcome box of goodies from home 
and the generosity that exists here cannot 
but bring the girls together in good fellow- 
ship. ‘here are also frequent chafing dish 
parties. 





Advanced Class with Mascot - Class Day. 
1} 





Scene from Junior Class Play 
‘*She Stoops to Conquer.’”’ 


A committee 1s appointed to arrange for 
a social the first Saturday in each month. «- 
Special attention is given to this event. - Af- 
ter the program has_ been carried yout, ; the 
girls gather in_ the. gymnasium _to.dance. 

Within the discretion of the matron,:danc- 
ing is allowed on other.evenings as well... - 





MF red oF 


Scene from ‘‘She Stoops to Conquer.”’ _ 


12 + 


. 


When fair, the Saturday holiday is usual- 
ly spent out of doors. Parties of girls ar- 
ranging.to stay away for the day, have their 
luncheon provided by the school. Mount 
Wachusett and the beautiful neighboring hills 
are the goals for tramping parties. 

Many become enthusiastic over tennis in the 
warmer months, while in winter, skating, 
sleighing, and coasting parties are of fre- 
quent occurrence. 





Formation of Class Numerals. 


The girls lead a healthful life, staying out 
of doors as much as possible. 

The new girls, the Freshmen, are not 
forgotten when the Christmas holidays are 
reached, for it is during this time that the 
seniors entertain with aplay and the well 
laden Christmas tree is relieved of its so called 
presents. 





Class Day March. 


Alice Freeman Palmer, who was for some 
years a member of the special committee in 
charge of the Fitchburg normal school, fre- 
‘quently told the students that the life at the 
‘boarding hall had as powerful an influence in 
developing culture, refinement and social ef- 
ficiency in the individual as the more formal 
work of the school. Sarah Louise Arnold, 
recently a member of the same committee, 
holds similar views. 

., Life at a school boarding hall means much 
ta: many young women. 


14 


Lectures, Concerts, and Recitals 


Students at the Fitchburg Normal School 
have unusual opportunities to broaden their 
knowledge and culture and to develop their 
taste for the best in music and art, and these 
opportunities are afforded usually at no ex- 
pense. During the current year (1910 — 
1911) the following lectures and entertain- 
ments have been open to all Fitchburg Nor- 
mal School students without charge. 





Soctal Dancing. Me 


School Gardens (illustrated by stereopticon) — - 
—Supt. Wallace E. Mason, North Andover. 
Glimpses of American Schools and Schoolmen (il- 
lustrated by stereopticon) 
a: Supt. Bernard M. Sheridan, Lawrence. 
~ Columbus Day Address—Hon. J. E. McConnell 





Boston, 
English Composition—Supt. Stratton D. Brooks, 
Boston. 
Address—Dr. David Snedden, Commissioner of 
Education. 


15 





C'ass Day March. 


Mutual Obligations of Grammar and High School 
‘Teachers — Mr. William Orr, Deputy Commis- 
sioner of Education. 

The Players — Music, Reading and Sketches. 

The Raweis — Pictures, Song and Story (Hawaiin 

life ) 





Bringing in the Wassail Bowl — Scene from Pageant, 
Christmas in Old England’ 


16 


Ralph Parlette — Humorous Lecture. 

Durno, The Mysterious and Company. 

Regent Entertainment Club. 

The Litchfield Trio. 

Recital — Rip Van Wiakle — George Kiernan. 





A Fugitive Slave — Scene from Lincoln Day 
Pageant. 


Illustrated Lecture — Evangeline 

— Rev, A. IT.’ Kempton: 
Concert by Nevin Quartette. 
Victrola Recital by Willis B. Anthony. 





Bringing in the Boar’s Head — Scene from Pageant — 
Merrie Christmas in Old England. 
17 


Recital —‘‘The Passing of the Third Floor Back.”’ 
by Alice Chapman. 
The Messiah — Fitchburg Chora! Union. 
Japanese Life and Customs — Yoshimitsu Suzuki. 
World Peace — Lucia Ames Mead. 
World Peace through World Union. 
—Anna Sturges Duryea. 

Some Health Problems in the Schools. 

— Dr. Thomas F. Harrington, Director of 

School Hygiene, Boston. 





Dutch Dance — Class Day. 


Getting into the Game — Dr. Albert E.. Winship, 
; Boston. 
Industrial Education — Mr. Charles A. Prosser, 
Deputy Commissioner of Education 
The Teaching of Arithmetic -— Supt. John.C. Gay 
Chicopee. 
Eastern Concert Company — Grand Concert. 
Play — Clark W. Hetherington. 
Lincoln — Rev. Arthur J. Covell. 
Address— Margaret M. Slattery. 7 
Memorial Day Address — Hon. Frank Pope. 


18 


#Hiscellaneous 


The three chamber concerts given at 
Wallace Hall annually by the Kneisel quar- 
tette have been open to students of the nor- 
mal school ata small charge. In order that 
these concerts may be fully appreciated and 
understood, the programs are given on the 
pianola and studied with the teacher of music 
before each concert. Selections from the 
standard oratorios and operas are frequently 
sung at the opening exercises of the school 
by the best local singers, one singing each 
morning for a week, to be then succeeded by 
another for the following week. Among 
these singers have been: 

Grace Sherriffs Chandler. 
Florence M. Hersom. 
Dr. E. H. Page. 

Clifton H. Wood. 





Assembly Hall 
19 





Maypole Dance. 


The normal school orchestra has also 
rendered many-selections at the opening ex- 
ercises. Miss-Beatrice Read, a violinist of 
Fitchburg, also entertained the school each 
morning for a week. 

Historical movements and events, by 
means of the pageant, are made very real, 
not only to the spectator, but even more so 
to those taking part. The following have 


been given this year: 
Pageants and Dramatics 


Columbus and the Discovery of America. 
The World’s Progress towards Universal 
Peace. 
- Merrie Christmas in the England of Geen 
Bess. 
a bp incoln, s First Inauguration - Fiftieth Anni- 
versary. ; 


20 





Procession of the Lord of Misrule — Scene from 
Pageant — Merrie Christmas in Old England. 


The pupils of the Practical Arts school 
opened the dramatic series on February third 
by presenting the three Myths - King Viidas, 
Pandora, and Proserpina in dramatic form. 
Other similar entertainments, including 
Cranford and She Stoops to Conquer, are to 
be given during the year by different normal 
school classes. 





Bringing in the Yule Log — Scene from Pageant 
Christmas in Old England. 
sate 


The normal school students assist at meet- 
ings of the Kindergarten Mothers’ League, 
at socials and dancing parties arranged for the 
children of the Practical Arts School, at the 
social meetings of the parents of the children 
in the schools of observation and practice, 
and at faculty suppers and entertainments. 

Each student is also given an opportunity 
during her normal school course to plan and 
take charge of some school entertainment 
given by the children of the room in which 
she:teaches for three months. ‘This enter- 
tainment may be for Lincoln’s or Washing- 
ton’s birthday, for Memorial Day, for 
Thanksgiving or Christmas, or for the clos- 
ing exercises of the term. 

The normal school students are also invit- 
ed to the ‘‘Parents’ Night’’ entertainments 
given at frequent intervals by the pupils of 
the Practical Arts School. 





Alumni Banquet. 
2a 





Class with Mascot. 


Throughout the course ,the aim is to give 
the normal students many social opportuni- 
ties, not only that they may fully enjoy school] - 
life, but in order that they may be well pre- 
pared to meet children, parents and others 
socially, that they may know how to arrange 
school entertainments, to plan parents’ meet- 
ings, to get the most from concerts and lec- 
_ tures, and to exercise social power in any 
community. The ability ofa teacher to 
make the school a social centre is one of her 
chief ass2ts and must of necessity enter large- 
ly into her preparation for teaching. 


For catalogues and circulars, address 


Joun G. Tuompson, Principal. 
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 
FircHBurG, Mass, 


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